


The Abrahm Catnip story

by Freddy1X



Series: Two Worlds [4]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Abrahm Lion, Accidental Drug Use, Freddy Pelle, Gen, Stan and Linda Myers, Two worlds, all OCs - Freeform, canine behavior, catnip, feline behavior, story from youth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:34:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26858281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freddy1X/pseuds/Freddy1X
Summary: While on the chat with Abrahm, I promised the Myers that I would tell them the story behind my catnip jest.  This is what happened
Series: Two Worlds [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1937995
Kudos: 2





	The Abrahm Catnip story

**Author's Note:**

> Abrahm Lion used here with his permission.

We are sitting in the den after the chat with Abrahm has ended. My phone is on the table beside the keyboard of the computer. I have swiveled the chair around to face the Myers, Linda and Stan, my guardians. They are also seated, waiting to hear this story I have promised them.

"So yea, we had an encounter with catnip. I was a pup, he was a kitten, and we were both about 10 years old at the time. Abrahm was always larger than me for as long as I have known him. That year with his grrrowth spurt, Abrahm is now over thrice my size."

"Since I was four years old, I had an urge for rolling in strong scents. It was a phase I was going through, a thing most canine went through grrrowing up."

"The first roll I took was in the mud of a mostly dried up ditch. There was something rank in there as well, probably dead fish. While I'm getting thoroughly covered in it, Abrahm is padding through it some. He only gets muddied up to his ankles. When I am satisfied enough to get out, I look like a walking wet muddy lump. I thought that I was wearing a cool disguise and kept the mud layer on. But I hadn't thought it out. Part way home I turn into a smelly lump of dirt that walks and talks. By the time we get to my house this very unhappy lump of dirt can't do much other than walk. Abrahm is having a ball with me now. Besides joking about my condition, he carves our names and other words into the mud covering my back with his claws. He has to knock on my door to summon my parents. In the back yard they hose the dirt off. Them comes the real bath and spanking."

"It took a few more humiliating baths and spankings convinced me to avoid the more rank smelling applications. At ten years old, I would still indulge in an occasional roll. Just as long as I stayed with the more pleasant aromas, I was still allowed."

"My 'summer of mange' happened when I was eight. It was something that was going around that year. I don't know where I caught it, or even when. It was just a little itch that kept getting worse. By the time I started loosing fur I brought my problem to my parents. It was lucky that I hadn't given it to any of my family. They just took some topical preventative. I got 'The Dip'. I had to sleep on funny smelling bed sheets for a month after that. After the mange was cured, my fur loss scared away most of the other children. But Abrahm always stayed with me. He told me that he had even taken some treatments just so he could. He was such a grrreat friend back then and still is now."

"So, on to the catnip story."  
"We are on a half hour hike on our way to a beach, walking on the lesser used and longer trail."

...

"I had that dream agen' las night. An I'm sure other mam' is a fox. I wazn't so sure before."  
"How 'bout you Abe?"  
"It's been a couple a months. Last time he felt like a sasquatch. But I'm feelin' some lion too." He pauses.  
"I think I'm bout due for a nother one soon." "That's what it wuz! Sasquatch! My dream mam' iz a sasquatch too. He'z a fox an a sasquatch!"

We've been sharing this confidence, both having a peculiar repeating dream about another mammal.  
One that was thought to be our imaginary friend at first. It is said that we should have grown out of the imaginary friend stage by this age. Instead, that friendship grows stronger. We are closer to this friend more than ever. We discovered each other had these dreams on a camp out. Abrahm woke me up in the middle of the night, while talking in his sleep dreaming, in the tent we shared. Abrahm was lying on his back, calling out and reaching out to something only he could see. What was scary when I first saw him was how he was doing the same thing I had done some nights. The next morning I asked him what it was about.

I smelled something faint up wind of us and stopped walking. Abrahm warns:  
"Freddy..." He only wants to keep me out of trouble. I have messed up a few of our outings doing this. Sometimes I'm a slow learner. With a few more sniffs, I'm off on a hunt. I ran off into the brush, while Abrahm stopped and watched. He was accustomed to this habit of mine and knew what I was about to do.

My 'quarry' this time is a cluster of small minty bushes. A closer sniff reveals a wonderful mint, violets, and slightly skunky scent that I just have to have. To me it smells safe and happy. I rolled on them vigorously, getting their smell all over me and my clothes. The smell just explodes once I crush the leaves.  
Abrahm watches from the trail impatiently.

Happy with the results, I trot back to join Abrahm.  
"Sorry. I hadda do that. How do I smell? Good huh?"  
He freezes as I get close. His stare becomes vacant.  
"Abe?"  
"Mew." I never heard him make this noise before. He grabs me up, not like I was a person. It's like I was a toy.  
"Ah!"  
He starts licking and rubbing his nose in to neck fur, occasionally chewing on my shirt too. I push at him but he won't let go. This is annoying. I try talking to him.  
"Abe! Put me down!"  
He is not hearing me. His eye's are closed.

The word 'intimate' comes to mind. One my parents use often when they are hugging and kissing. I am getting desperate.  
"Ugh! This ain't funny. Lemme go!"  
He falls over, taking me with him. Now we are on our sides in the low grass. He keeps chewing on my shirt. Then he stops chewing. His jaw closes with a firm grip on my collar. Next he starts kicking with his hind legs, claws out, at my hind legs and shorts.  
"Ow! Yur hurting me! Someone's gonna see us! OW!"  
I can smell my own blood. I can panic now.

He does settle down after several minutes. We could have laid there like that for maybe two hours. I have relaxed a little, giving up really. It's obvious that I can't get free from his grip. I have tried bargaining and pleading, but he doesn't seem to hear me. Every time I have struggled to get free, his hold on me tightens. He seems to be sleeping, with eyes closed and all, but his nose always stays in my neck fur.

A mixed group of mammals comes along on the trail and stop when they see us laying there in the grass. I call out when I see them:  
"There's somethin wrong with my friend."

An older wolf cautions his party, a few sniffs makes him suspect what has happened:  
"Everybody stay back, especially the felines." He alone approaches, sniffing at us more closely.  
"Did you roll in catnip son? "I roll'd in some minty bushes. Catnip?"  
The wolf's pulling at Abrahm's forelegs is ineffective.  
"Rudy, a little help please." With help of a reindeer, he pries me out of Abrahm's grip.  
Once free of my friend's embrace, he stands me up and points in a direction away from his group:  
"Stand over there and stay away from others, silly pup!." The last part is spoken in lupine. The language is similar enough to vulpine that I can tell that it was not a compliment. He slaps my bottom to make his point clear. So motivated I start with a trot that slows to a trudge when I get closer to the indicated spot to then turn, wait, and watch. Under my breath I comment in vulpine:  
"You din't hafta spank me."  
So isolated, I begin to wallow in my current condition.  
I am miserable and embarrassed and hurting. The wolf has looked me over but does not seem to care.  
My fur and clothes are a mess and I'm scratched up badly too. I'm on the verge of crying. No one seem to be concerned about me.

I watch from my distance as Abrahm recovers. They are able to get him on his feet but he is not completely right. He doesn't respond to their questions. After some discussion with Rudy, the wolf backs away from the trail, somewhat in my direction.  
"Sorry kids, Grandpa and Uncle Rudy have to help these two. It's catnip. Maybe see you next week." The rest of the group moves on to their destination. While passing the four of us, they cling to the far edge of the trail that is away from us. The felines are especially wary near us. They pass up-wind I notice. It seems that the two mammals who separated us are also contaminated with catnip now.

After their friends have moved on, we travel in the opposite direction as the wolf and reindeer escort us home. I am told that we need to stay several meters behind Abrahm, both of us having the most catnip exposure. Rudy has less of it, because he only pulled me out of Abrahm's grip. So only his fore hooves were exposed. At least Mr. Sharptooth stays by my side. Other than finding out where Abrahm lives, he doesn't speak.  
We watch as Rudy delivers Abrahm to his home, explaining what has happened. The Lions are upset.  
Once that is done, Rudy nods in passing, he is going home. I can then lead Mr. Sharptooth to my home. He introduces himself and gives my parents a summary of what has happened. Leaving me with my family, he goes home to clean up.  
Papa takes me by the collar and marches me directly to the bathtub. He holds me at leg's length the entire trip. He only speaks to me in single word sentences.  
"Clothes!" "Off!" I comply and drop them into the tub beside me. Momma takes them away for washing, once I am done. She is wearing the rubber dish washing gloves on her forelegs.  
"Sit!" He starts the water.  
The shampoo is harsh on my fur and it burns at my fresh scratches. It is to my shame that they still have this particular shampoo ready for me. It has been explained that it is still here in the house because I might do something stupid again, just like this. Papa's scrubbing is not gentle. He is riled, I can smell it. Even after the long bath, the catnip scent still lingers on me.

They lead me back to the main room once I have been dried. My brother and sister have been sent to their rooms. This lecture is for me alone. Mother is there for support, and father, well, he stays quiet. Both staring. I am standing in front of them because it is expected of me in these discussions.  
'He usually starts. Why is he not talking?'  
Finally I break.  
"Papa?"  
"Freddy. You've hurt your friend Abrahm." I frown at these words. And his continued use of vulpine means he is still riled.  
"I din't even scratch him, not one bit! He walked home jus fine."  
"No, it's not that kind of hurt." I am not old enough to understand. I keep trying to defend my not being wrong.  
"What did I do wrong?"  
"You will have to apologize." He did not answer my question. I remain stubborn and try again.  
"How's it my fault, I din't know about catnip."  
He is not going to explain it. It's like I should already know why.  
"Even then, his parents may want you to stay away. Maybe Abrahm won't like you any more." I really don't want that. The situation is breaking me. I'm ready to cry again. Giving in I flop to the floor and start whining. I am surrounded by a loving warmth. They are sitting on the floor to hug me.

It's taken two more days of baths before I am deemed feline safe. At least I am allowed to take them by myself. The scratches are hardly visible now. But my fur looks and feels awful. The shampoo has taken out the luster. I am dull.  
'Dull! Dull! Dull!'

There will be a day soon when we meet with Mr. Sharptooth and Mr. Rudy. I was responsible for busting up their outing. But today we go to the Lions and I should be happy. Instead I am scared. 'They will hate me. Abrahm will hate me!'  
The formal clothes we wear only make my dullness more obvious. I feel dull inside. Still, when we get there, we are invited in. Out parents exchange greetings that I don't really hear. All I notice is a dejected Abrahm sitting on a sofa all alone. His parents sit with Abrahm while my parents take a seat on a facing sofa. I am left standing between all of them.

I stand before him.  
"Are you OK?"  
"Yea. I'm good." I've choked up. Papa chuffs a couple of times, reminding me of why we are here.  
"I'm sorry Abe.. I never wanted to hurt you."  
"I know." "Can we still be friends?"  
He looks up to his parents. He really wants this. They seem to be satisfied with my apology and nod to him.  
"Friends. Always!" He gets up and pulls me into a desperate hug that has me off of my feet. I return the hug as best as I can.

"Always!"


End file.
